Page 334 - The Dutch Caribbean Isles

irplane Wreck - Airplane Wreck (and Wet Suit City at the next right off of Breezes Resort. You can also reach it from the public
beach, Marie Pompoen, next door. The Car Pile is in 60 to 125 feet
A site) are well worth the drive. You’ll travel through some
very scenic countryside and eventually land at the Sunset Waters of water so it is more suitable for experienced divers. Current is

Beach Resort (formerly the Coral Cliff Resort). The beach is for their usually light at the site. Visibility is usually around 75-100 feet. It

guests, but you’ll be welcome to pass through for the dive. They makes for some great photo opportunities but be careful of sharp

also have a dive shop at the end of the road by their beach. Let edges. The wrecks are now covered with corals and sponges and

them know you’ll be diving in the area. you can find lots of fish hiding out in the wrecks. Expect to see

B apor Kibra - The Bapor Kibra wreck, almost 100 years old, is off trunkfish, spotted drum, sea turtle, angelfish, spiny lobster and
the Curacao Sea Aquarium. Conditions can be a little choppy, silversides.
so check the weather before you head out. Directions: About 4
km Southeast of Punda, wind your way down the coastal roads of E lvin’s Plane Wreck - Among the many excellent dive sites in
the western part of Curacao is a new one, “Elvin’s Plane Wreck,”
Penstraat, Dr. MLKing Blvd, and then on Bapor Kibra. located within 5 minutes of the Ocean Encounters West dock. The

B oca Santu Pretu - This site is off the beaten path, but easily ac- plane is named for the late Elvin Joubert, a former partner in All
cessed with any vehicle. Not much in the way of parking. This is West Apartments and Diving, who worked diligently with Louis
Lopez Ramirez, owner of All West Apartments and Diving, for

the only beach on Curacao that has black (dark) colored sand. It is a several years in acquiring the plane. Elvin, unfortunately, passed

bit of a kick out to the reef. Just before you get to the reef there is a away before the plane was sunk, and the dive site is named in his

small wreck sitting on the sandy bottom at about 20-25 feet. Not a memory The 80 passenger Fokker Fairchild 27 once flew regularly

lot happening around the wreck, but interesting none the less. The for Antillean Airlines as an island hopper between the ABC Islands,

coral formations here are very nice and there are lots of sponges. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

C ar Pile - This is certainly a unique site to add to your Curacao L over’s Beach, Vaersenbaai and the Car Wrecks - Like the car pile,
scuba diving itinerary. Starting as an artificial reef project in the car wrecks site is full of vehicles dating back to the 1940’s,
the 1960’s, you’ll now find cars, trucks and earth-moving equip- and topside, at Lover’s Beach, which is a popular place for couples
ment, some dating back to the 1940’s. This is a shore dive located to visit, there are restrooms, showers, and even a snack bar.